NFL: The Randomness of Parity

You all know I’m not losing any sleep watching the NFL, but it’s on every week, and as a football fan, I tune in. This weekend, I saw a few things that really jumped out at me.

The Chiefs are who we kinda thought they were - The past two weeks, the Kansas City Chiefs have looked like, well, the Kansas City Chiefs. After really starting to warm up to the fact the Chiefs might actually have turned the corner on the season, they give it up like a prom date two weeks running in embarrassing fashion against division opponents. What is this, 2009? Head Coach Todd Haley better right this ship in a hurry, because he’s done two huge things that are going to haunt him if he doesn’t. 1. He’s given Chiefs fans hope. And there’s nothing as ugly as a Chiefs fan let down by their team. And 2. he’s shown he can do it. This team has shown enough, prior to the past two weeks to assume it’s not an aberration. The talent is there, aside from quarterback, but while they aren’t a Super Bowl contender, this team can win the AFC West. Yes, even with Matt Cassel under center, but they have to try and keep division opponents from standing on their necks.

Dallas Cowboys players and fans should be embarrassed - This is mostly for the players, but some fans as well. The Cowboys played an inspired game this past weekend, beating the New York Giants in huge road division game. All giving homage to Jason Garrett. So that is to say that the team has always had the talent, but lacked the professionalism to play hard enough prior to this past week to win. That’s pretty sad. The playcalling wasn’t so extraordinarily different to account for the change. These were simply millionaires who chose to sulk for the first 2 months of the season, being the laughing stock of the NFL, because they didn’t like their head coach. But as soon as they got rid of him, they suddenly found their hearts and effort and played hard. It’s losers like this that remind me why college football is so much better than the NFL.

Things are bad in Ohio. Really bad in Cincinnati but Cleveland not so much - I am not complaining, because I hate the Cincinnati Bengals. A lot. I think Ochocinco is a cancer to that team and his obsession with all the off field ventures is a huge part of why he’s having such a poor year. But as a Steeler fan, I’m fine with that, so Stinko, keep doing 3rd rate reality shows and talking about imaginary birds. On the other side of the state the Cleveland Browns have really rallied, and most attribute it to the addition of rookie QB Colt McCoy. I don’t. I attribute it to a commitment to the run, led by Peyton Hillis. And let’s not forget before we start having a parade that this team is still 3-6.

Holy crap the Mike Vick love in has begun - One game, albeit a great game, and Vick is now MVP and all time champion of great guys. All you media types and Philadephia Eagles fans are hypocrites. I know we are a society that forgives, but how shallow are you? Brian Cushing is going to have a tougher go of it in his career after testing positive for PAD’s than Vick will for murdering dogs. And it’s one freaking game, against the Washington Redskins no less. If anyone looks stupid in this, it’s Andy Reid. He saw Vick every day and still named Kevin Kolb the starter and gave him a big fat contract extension. I wish Brett Favre would text pictures of his junk to Rich Eisen just to draw some attention away from Vick.

There’s no best team in the NFL - A league that prides itself on parity has it in bunches this year. Every week the team that we all think is the best team loses, and a new team takes the crown. That’s why I am not doing any more NFL power polls this year. I don’t like the shame of putting a team at the top of the list only to see them tumble the same weekend. I can’t even do a decent Powerless Poll for the bottom 5 because thanks to the Detroit Lions I can’t continue to preach that the Buffalo Bills are the worst team in the NFL. Thanks Detroit. One more reason to hate you.